I Had to Switch to Obama's Healthcare.

[LGilmore]

What you'll find in the VA system is more of a euro mindset in the treatment of patients. Decisions are made based on the age of the patient rather than the need. The private side, will pay for just about anything, no matter if it only adds 3 more months to somebody's life. The VA side will medicate rather than repair.

Why do I say this? I lost my 59 year old brother to a massive heart attack last year. A Nam vet, he had some health problems, it just seemed that rather than fix, they prescribed something.

 

[HomeService]

What you'll find in the VA system is more of a euro mindset in the treatment of patients. Decisions are made based on the age of the patient rather than the need. The private side, will pay for just about anything, no matter if it only adds 3 more months to somebody's life. The VA side will medicate rather than repair.

Why do I say this? I lost my 59 year old brother to a massive heart attack last year. A Nam vet, he had some health problems, it just seemed that rather than fix, they prescribed something.

Are you saying death panels really do exist?

 

[LGilmore]

"Are you saying death panels really do exist?"

No, I'm saying the VA reflects the euro system of healthcare more than the private health care system currently in place.

The euro mindset is past a certain age, well, you've led a good life, let's just make sure there's no pain till you pass.

Here, our culture demands longevity at any cost. There was a article about a cancer treatment that costs $93,000 and will add 2-4 months onto a life that was just approved.

You'll have to forgive me, I'm not much of a buzzword, or hotbutton guy.

 

[arnguy]

I had to have a pacemaker implant a year ago because of bradycardia (50 bpm). My CNRP at my VA clinic suggested that I use my private physician through Medicare rather than the VA system. She told me it would be a long drawn out process to get it done. It would invole her referring me to the VA cariologist who would then send a recommendation to VA hospital in Philadelphia, and so on and so on. I took her advice and had it scheduled through my private cardiologist in 2 weeks.

 

[Suis]

I know which one you mean. My cousin, a nam vet, goes there and endures a lot of bad but a lot of good, too. He's a victim of "agent orange: and has many health issues. But the irony is that when he went there for a checkup, he really wasn't sick. But he has not been well since. He looks terrible, too. On many drugs, has balooned up about 40 lbs., too. He could use more "alternative" care IMO, but that's not covered. Only drugs and procedures and more drugs. And so easy to get. I thought he was lucky to be near Chicago but now I wonder. If this is obamacare, I don't want it. Sue

My local VA is great, but its a clinic out here in the Chicago suburbs. I go every 6 months for a check-up and to have the hypertension medication renewed. It's new, clean and I never have to wait more than 10 minutes to see the same physician who has treated me since 1993.

I also have BC/BS through my wife's job. If something serious arises, I'll use the private insurance because the government physicians at the main VA hospitals aren't the best. Had a bad experience with them in the early 1980's. That might have been atypical, but once you go through it, you don't put yourself in that position again.

-AC